Gate-latch.



No. 770,968. PATENTED SEPT. 27", 1904.

' I P. JENTZ.

GATE LATCH.

APPLIOATION FILED H1137, 1904. N0 MODEL. 2 sHETssHE'ET 1.

NO MODEL.

PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904. F. JENTZ.

GATE LATCH.

APPLICATION EILED IEB. 27, 1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Patented September 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK JENTZ, OF ROBBINS, MICHIGAN.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,968, dated September 27, 1904. Application filed February 27,1904. Serial No. 195,510- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J ENTZ, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Robbins, in the county of Ontonagon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in (irate-Latches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to provide simple economical latch mechanism especially designed for self-closing gates, each of which may be readily opened by an operator on foot or horseback or in a conveyance.

Hence said invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts hereinafter particularly set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a front elevation of a self-closing gate provided with latch mechanism in accordance with my invention, the gate-latch, a gate-arm, and a track in the view being shown in section; Fig. 2, a plan view of the gate and latch mechanism, partly in horizontal section; Fig. 3, an elevation of a fragment of the gate, partly in section, this view being indicated by line 3 3 in the first figure of the series; Fig. 4, a detail view, partly in section, as indicated by lines 4 4 in said first figure, the same illustrating the latch in position to permit opening of the gate; and Fig. 5, a detail partly-sectional elevation of the latch mechanism.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A indicates a gate having hook-and-eye hinge connection with a post B, and the hinge-stile of said gate is upwardly eXtendeda suitable distance. Made fast to the hinge-stile at any suitable elevation above the upper bar of the gate are diverging arms C, and struts D are employed in connection with said stile and arms. Inclining in opposite directions from the center of the hinge-postBis a lower semicircular track E, and suspended by a hanger F in connection with the hinge-stile of the gate is a roller G in contact with the track. Connecting the arms C is a horizontal brace H. and flexible devices I, such as cables or chains, are trained on pulleys J, suspended from said arms and brace. A bar of the gate is provided with bearings b for a pivot 0, connecting a pair of lever-arms K, each of which is connected at one end with one of the flexible devices aforesaid, the other ends of said levers being joined to a pin (Z, that bears on another lever L, fulcrumed between vertical straps made fast to bars of said gate. The lever L is normally engaged with a vertical center notch in a semicircular vertically-disposed flange e of a forked plate M, having an upwardly-extending hollow center boss f, loose on a pivot-stud g of a bracket N, attached to the short stile of the gate. The plate-flange e is partly inclined in opposite directions from its center notch, and the fork of the plate is gradually widened at its mouth.

The plate M constitutes the gate-latch, and a post P is arranged to be engaged with the fork of said plate or latch when the gate is closed. The lever L is tilted out of the latchnotch when it is desirable to open the gate, and swing of said gate results in pivotal play of said latch to clear the post P, said lever being then rested on one or the other incline of the latch-flange. The lever may be tilted by a pull of either of the flexible devices I when the operator is on horseback or in a conveyance, and continued hold upon said flexible-device results in swing of the gate ahead of said operator while the latter proceeds on his way. When the gate is swinging open, the roller G travels up an incline of the track E, and said gate being released it automatically swings back to normal position, the latch striking the post P and swinging on its pivot to engage said post, the lever L finding its way into the flange-notch of said latch to lock the aforesaid gate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of a swing-gate having a stile thereof provided with a bracket, a horizontal forked plate having pivotal play on the bracket and provided with a vertically-disposed and centrally notched semicircular flange inclined in opposite directions from the notch, a post arranged to be engaged by the fork of the plate when the gate is closed, and a lever in fulcrum connection with said gate to engage the flange'notch of said plate when the latter is caught by the post.

2. The combination of a swing-gate having a stile thereof provided with a bracket, a horizontal forked plate having pivotal play on the bracket and provided with a vertically-disposed and centrally notched semicircular flange inclined in opposite directions from the notch, a post arranged to be engaged by the fork of the plate when the gate is closed, a lever in fulcrum connection with said gate to engage the flange-notch of said plate when the latter is caught by the post, and means in connection with the lever for tilting the same out of said notch at a distance in oppositedirections from the closed gate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, at Eagle River, in the county of Vilas and State of Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK J ENTZ.

Witnesses:

FRED MoREY, ALEX. HIGGINS. 

